13 Things We Want To See In Rob Zombie’s 3 From Hell

Rob Zombie’s House Of 1,000 Corpses and The Devil’s Rejects are two of modern horror’s most compelling films. Taking the filthy, DIY aesthetic of classic slasher films like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre to strange, creepy, and jarring new places, the rock star-turned-director redefined horror film for a whole generation of fans sick of PG-13 softcore horror and helped America catch up to countries like Japan and Sweden in the arms race of cinematic terror.

Now 3 From Hell, Zombie’s third film in the trilogy of stories about the murderous Firefly family, is close to being finished (despite earlier suggestions that it was all wrapped up). And as we wait with bated breath to get a full trailer and a release date, we can’t help but wonder what new chills Mr. Zombie has in store for us.

We pulled together thirteen things we’d love to see in Rob Zombie’s 3 From Hell...

1. Crime Scene Photos From The Firefly House

One of the creepiest aspects of House Of 1,000 Corpses is how deep the Firefly homestead goes, from the bowels of the house itself to the subterranean tunnels where Rufus Firefly and Dr. Satan dwell. The Ed Gein-ish photos from the raid on the compound is the stuff of horror fans’ most exciting nightmares.

2. The Devil’s Rejects, Medicated

Seeing as the Rejects are still alive, it stands that the fuzz have them doped up, and many of the shots from the film that have been shared show the Fireflies looking haggard and depressed. So what do Baby, Otis, and Spaulding look like on anti-psychotics? Are they remorseful? Do they realize the errors of their ways?

3. ...And Then The Medication Wears Off

At the same time, the main point of showing the Rejects doped up is so we can see their real personalities reemerge. There’s nothing more chilling than that moment where the overweight sleepwalker you’ve been shuffling along looks up at you, grins, and yells, “TUTTI FUCKIN’ FRUTTI!”

4. The Origin Stories Of The Rejects

While The Devil’s Rejects presents the Fireflies as siblings, it’s never entirely established how they came to be. Are they actually Mama and Rufus’ three kids? Was Otis stolen from a stroller in a parking lot? The story behind these killers would be a fascinating bit of insider information.

5. The Stories Of Survivors (If There Were Any)

Hey, we all thought the Fireflies were dead after the final scene in Rejects! It’s always cool to hear the story of those who have “broken out of a window in Hell”. Could the mute, violent experiments of Dr. Satan be healed enough to tell their horrific tales of what happened to them?

6. Captain Spaulding Back In His Clown Suit

Sid Haig’s menacing Captain Spaulding became more than just a clown in The Devil’s Rejects, but we’ll always remember him as the unsettling Gacy-like harlequin of House Of 1,000 Corpses. We’re hoping to see Spaulding don his hilarious suit once more (and maybe even his sequined Murder Ride Uncle Sam get-up!).

7. Easter Eggs From The Lords Of Salem And 31

3 From Hell has a chance to introduce a new concept: the extended Zombieverse! What if all the stories in Zombie’s movies exist in the same world? Will we hear a song played by the Big H Radio team in Salem, or hear Richard Brake casually drop the name ‘Doom Head’? The potential for crossover stories this creates is endless.

8. More Marx Brothers References

One of our favorite parts of The Devil’s Rejects was discovering that the Firefly name is a reference to Groucho Marx’s character in 1933’s Duck Soup. Hopefully, Zombie will dig into his love of old movies and gives us another couple of Marx Bros. references to snicker knowingly about.

9. Baby’s Irresistible Charm

A running theme in both Corpses and Rejects is that though she’s strange, scary, and obviously trouble, Baby Firefly is the kind of woman that no man can resis. For us, 3 From Hell will be a countdown as to when some horny cop gets his face bitten off by Mrs. Zombie’s most iconic role.

10. The Rejects’ Fanatics

Every serial killer has devotees, and the Fireflies should be no different. The public’s obsession with the Fireflies will be an exciting addition to the previous films’ lore, and since Zombie has already started printing ‘Free The Three’ merch, one can’t help but think a Manson-like following is part of 3 From Hell’s story.

11. The Return Of Tiny

Break out the Agatha Crispies! The looming, burn-scarred Tiny Firefly is one of the series’ most iconic characters, and we’d love to see his return (even if he appears to die at the end of The Devil’s Rejects). Sadly, actor Matthew McGrory who played Tiny passed away in 2005 (Rejects is dedicated to him), but one wonders if Zombie has found a way to bring the character back.

12. A Touch Of Halloween

One thing that makes House Of 1,000 Corpses so awesome is its devotion to Halloween. And while we love the blood-stained asphalt of The Devil’s Rejects, we miss that extra bit of autumnal spookiness. How Zombie could incorporate every metalhead’s favorite holiday, we don’t know, but we’re keeping our eyes peeled.

13. Doctor. Fucking. Satan.

Whatever happened to S. Quentin Quale, the infamous Dr. Satan living and experimenting in the tunnels beneath the Firefly home? Does he come to save the Rejects after their capture? If there’s one character we hope to see return in 3 From Hell, it’s none other than the boogeyman himself.

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WORDS: Chris Krovatin